Rx for Canceled Cycles - It Works!

Nobody wants to get that call.  With a cancelled cycle there are feelings of frustration, anger and sadness.  There’s also the question of “what’s next?”  First and foremost, your Reproductive Endocrinologist will likely want to tweak your IVF protocol for the next round.  But that’s not all that you can do.  Holistic therapies like acupuncture, massage and nutritional supplements have been shown to help many of the issues above, largely through their profound impact on the nervous system and hormonal regulation.  We’re confident about our ability to help because, in fact, many women come to Pulling Down the Moon after a failed cycle, when their disappointment and loss of confidence in their ability to conceive pushes them to hop online and schedule an appointment. 

There are a lot of reasons an IVF cycle can be cancelled.  Sometimes a woman’s ovaries don’t respond well to ovarian stimulation drugs, and other times they respond too much, leading to a condition called Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS).  Most frustratingly, sometimes a cycle is not canceled until after egg retrieval.  This can be because the fertility doctor does not find mature eggs to collect during retrieval, or the eggs retrieved don’t fertilize or form embryos with viability issues.  And sometimes a cycle goes great and eggs are retrieved and fertilized, but uterine lining isn’t at a point where it is receptive to implantation. 

From a holistic perspective, our goal post-cancellation is to help you bring your body back into balance so that you are ready for your next cycle - natural or medicated.   What does it me to bring the body back into balance post-cancellation? 

Here’s our checklist: 

1. Balance your nervous system.  Medical fertility treatment is stressful and the repeated stress events of a medicated cycle (blood draws, hormone injections, ultrasounds and monitoring visits) can keep our Sympathetic Nervous System (“fight or flight” response) chronically active.  This has adverse consequences for sleep, digestion, inflammation, reproductive hormone regulation and blood flow.  Yoga is a powerful way to balance the nervous system and research shows that regular yoga has a lasting positive impact on nervous system regulation.  Massage and acupuncture also help to move our body from “fight or flight” into a more balanced, relaxed state.  Balance your nervous system with this restorative yoga series. 
2. Detoxify your body.  Between the sex hormones and the stress hormones, it’s really important to pay attention to your body’s detoxification systems after a failed cycle.  While it’s tempting to drown disappointment in wine and/or junk food, our goal is to work towards trying again and that means supporting the body’s detoxification processes.  So, limit your intake of caffeine and alcohol and add detoxifying foods like antioxidant-rich berries and cruciferous vegetables to your diet to help your liver work more efficiently. Yoga and our Cleanse the Body massage also help to move toxins from your body.
3. Reconnect with yourself.  A cancelled cycle can make you feel like you’re lost and/or broken.  We cannot overstate the power of recapturing your courage and seeing your own strength.  All of our offerings - from our free patient education events to our individualized services - will help you feel more positive, grounded and in control.  In fact, two published studies show our online Yoga for Fertility class lowers stress and anxiety by 20% in women undergoing IVF.  As the noise of stress and anxiety begins to quiet, our clients find new reserves of strength and resilience for their next cycle.

We have so many ways to support you after a cancelled cycle - from free classes to acupuncture, yoga, massage and nutrition services - so instead of freaking out please give us a call 312-321-0004 or email info@pullingdownthemoon.com to let us help you make your next cycle a winner!